


Late Night Tired Hands

by Groot_the_tree



Series: One word prompts [1]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Banter, Canon Disabled Character, Chronic Pain, Domestic Fluff, Dorks in Love, Fluff, Hurt Stephen Strange, Hurt/Comfort, Late Night Conversations, M/M, Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:27:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26002645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Groot_the_tree/pseuds/Groot_the_tree
Summary: Stephen returns after a few days of work and not taking care of himself, pushing beyond his limits. Tony takes care of him.
Relationships: Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Series: One word prompts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1887325
Comments: 2
Kudos: 127





	Late Night Tired Hands

**Author's Note:**

> Found some one word prompts, this one was simply "hands".

Stephen was sitting in the room, barely lit by a lamp, looking at his hands. The shaking was noticeable, visibly so, and he hated it. 

Of course, since the accident, this was how it always has been, they were always shaking and alone with that comes the pain from the nerve damage. He tried to keep that part hidden though, no one needed to know that he was almost constantly in pain. 

That was his big secret. 

Most of the time he could keep it hidden, when he couldn’t he would hide in his room or in the library of the sanctum and wait for the day to pass, hoping that the next day would bring relief and the constant pain would be lessened. 

Sometimes this plan worked, sometimes it didn’t. The problem of protecting the time stone and being master of the New York sanctum was that there were a lot of days when danger was imminent and he didn’t have a choice but to go out and work, no matter the pain or how much worse it would be later on. 

He accepts this and so, for the last three days he had been traveling through timelines and solving problems to keep everything from collapsing, ignoring just how much every small movement hurt and pained him, only getting worse the more he moved his hands. The magic might be able to steady them but eventually, he had to give it a rest, and then the pain was excruciating. 

It took a lot to keep from curling up into a ball on his side, around his hands, protecting them. He knew it wouldn’t help but even the air touching them felt like too much. When he had returned the cloak tried to wrap around them and he wasn’t able to stand it, biting his lip to keep from screaming out.

There was a reason he was determined not to make a sound though and be so quiet. That reason came in the form of the man asleep next to him, completely unaware that he had returned, too lost in his dreams. 

Stephen had considered waking him up when he got back but one look at the man told him that he hadn’t slept for some time, most likely not since Stephen left so he decided it was more important not to alert him. 

It takes him a few minutes to lay down, his clothes being changed right after he got back before the magic left his hands. But he knew it would be a while before he was able to sleep. 

The movement on the bed had Tony waking up, turning to look at the other, giving him a small, sleepy smile, “Hey Steph.” He mumbles, eyes closing back, reaching out a hand for his hair, “Everything okay?” 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” Stephen responds, knowing his voice was a little off, the pain making it strained but was sure Tony wouldn’t notice with how tired he seemed to be. 

Of course, he was wrong, Tony’s eyes opened, looking at him, sitting up a little, “No, what is it? I can tell something is wrong.”

“Just my hands, they’re a little sore, nothing I can’t handle.” 

“Heat or ice?” He asks, ignoring the other’s insistence and standing up to get it. 

“No, really, Tony, it’s okay, they’ll be fine.” 

“Friday, heat or ice? Which would help Doc’s hands more?” 

“I would recommend heat.” Came the reply. 

“Alright, unless you have a complaint, Steph, you’re getting heat.” Tony waits for a moment and, when there was no protest, he leaves. 

It wasn’t long that Tony was gone before coming back with a bowl of hot water, climbing onto the bed and holding it, “Put your hands in.” He says. 

Stephen was surprised to see the bowl, having expected a towel, heating pad, or hot water bottle. 

The surprise doesn’t go unnoticed by Tony. “I remember you saying that things touching it could make the pain worse sometimes, I didn’t want to do that so I thought this might solve the problem. I made sure it wasn’t too hot but it might be best for you to check it first.” 

Stephen gives him a small smile and leans in, leaving a quick kiss on Tony’s lips. It always comes as a shock how much the man remembers about him and how he tries to accommodate it all. 

Carefully, he uses his elbow to check the tempter of the water before nodding, “I think it’ll be fine.” He admits, his hands going into the water, carefully, there was a light sting, with the nerve damage came his hands either burning or freezing and they had been quite cold before he started putting them in the water. It takes him a moment to get used to it but when he does a sigh escapes him, relaxing. 

“Thank you, Tony.” He says, thankful for the man in front of him, always seeming to know exactly what he needs at all times. 

“No need to thank me, but it would be nice if you’d let me take care of you on occasion. You always fight it.” He reaches his hand out, the other holding the bowl, running it through the greying hair at his boyfriend's temple. 

“Something it would seem we both need to work on then, letting the other take care of them.” 

Tony rolls his eyes, “What are you talking about? I am great at letting you take care of me. I’m the best patient ever.” 

“Keep telling yourself that, tin man.” Stephen teases, the pain slowly leaving his hands, and, for the first time in days, he was feeling lighter, with the tiredness slowly entering his body with a yawn, the work he had been doing finally catching up to him. 

“I will be,” Tony assures him, “Whenever you’re ready this can be set to the side and we can sleep.” 

Stephen nods, “Okay, maybe just a few more minutes, if that’s okay.” 

“That’s good, you’re getting better at this communication already.”


End file.
